Ernie Ball 2047 Earthwood 80/20 Silk & Steel, Extra Soft

Ernie Ball 2047 Earthwood 80/20 Silk & Steel Extra Soft – silky-smooth feel and warm, mellow tone

Ernie Ball 2047 Earthwood Silk & Steel Extra Soft is a set of acoustic steel strings for players who want a more comfortable playing feel and a rounder sound. The Silk & Steel construction delivers lower perceived tension, so the strings feel easier to fret, easier to bend, and less harsh on your fingertips during long sessions.

The core is steel, and the wound strings are wrapped in 80/20 bronze, but with a silk/fibre layer as an “intermediate” part of the construction. This is what provides the extra-soft, almost played-in feel under the right hand and a more controlled top end. Tonally, you land in a warm, sweet and mellow direction with less sharp attack than many standard 80/20 bronze sets, making them ideal for fingerstyle, folk and studio/recording.

The set fits a standard acoustic guitar with standard ball-end and pin bridge. Gauge isn’t listed entirely consistently everywhere for this model, so if you depend on a very specific thickness, you should double-check the specific listing before purchase. Also note that the lower tension can feel a bit “looser” with a hard attack, and some users may experience slightly less volume and projection than with a thicker/standard set – in return, they’re excellent for taming very bright guitars and making the tone rounder and more pleasant.